Here We Are Again
by ConsultingHunterOfGalifrey
Summary: Lucifer's returned and the apocolypse looms yet again, but this time it's complicated… (inspired by thejadedkiwano on Tumblr's theory)
1. Prologue: Yes

_ May 14, 2014_

_ I should've seen it coming. _

_ But everything was pure chaos leading up to this. We had angels everywhere, at war with each other. Metatron and Gadreel. Abaddon. *Sigh* Abaddon's the reason we're even in this mess. _

_ For once, things seemed to be going our way. We ganked our angel problems: Metatron, Gadreel, Bartholomew, Malachi… We even got the other angels back up. (Bobby, Kevin, and everyone else up there; we're all sorry you have to deal with them again…) Hell, Cas got his true Grace back! Things were looking up…_

_ …Then we went after Abaddon._

_ I knew something was wrong with him. In the car, he kept shaking his head and muttering "no", each time a bit more panicked. Come to think of it, he seemed to be spacing out a lot the past few days. even talking to himself when he thought I wasn't around. I asked if anything was wrong, but he kept insisting he was fine. Like he always does._

_ Like I always do._

_ When we finally tracked her down to an old warehouse, things took a bad turn._

_ "Can't you feel it?" She said to us with a smile. "Should be familiar to you. He's back…" She chuckled a bit._

_ My blood ran cold. She could only mean one person: Lucifer. How could HE be back? She had to be lying. But I wasn't going to let HIM ruin our lives again. I lunged at her, my brother right behind me._

_ It was a furious struggle. She threw us around; we fired Devil's Trap bullets at her. She beat the crap out of us…_

_ …That is, until we miraculously got The First Blade through her gut. _

_ As she fell over, dead at last, my brother ran over to me. He looked like hell. From the look in his eyes, I can only assume I did, too. He snarled all of a sudden and bolted away._

_ "No! I'm not letting you in!" He shouted to himself._

_ There was silence._

_ "You've been tormenting me all week! Using that little piece you have inside me to get in my head! But I still say "no"!"_

_Silence._

_ "Yeah, well, you should know I'm a stubborn little…"_

_ He clutched his head and started screaming. He looked at me and shouted my name in horror. Tears were streaming down his face. _

_ "N…no…" He said, weaker._

_ He paused and dropped to his knees. I called out his name. It finally hit me what was going on._

_ "Don't do it! You can't let him in!" I shouted. But it was too late._

_ In a broken voice, Dean said yes._

_ There was a brilliant light. He got up. I could tell he wasn't Dean anymore. Lucifer smiled at me. "Hello again, Sam? Miss me?" He said, holding his arms out. "What do you think?"_

_ I didn't say a word. He frowned. "Now, is that any way to treat an old friend? One as close as I was?" He tutted. "Well, I gotta go. Unfinished business, you know…" And with that, Lucifer was gone. Along with my brother._

_ I prayed for Cas. He appeared not much later. "Sam, what's wrong?" he asked, healing me up. He looked around. "Where's Dean?"_

_ I started shaking. Cas looked at me and I could tell he understood. He went catatonic, fury dancing in his eyes. I punched the concrete floor and yelled Dean's name out at the top of my lungs._

_ I swear, I'm going to get you back, Dean. I don't care what it takes. It's my turn to save you. It's my turn to set things right…_

_-Sam_


	2. Chapter 1: Team Free Dean

"Sam?" Cas asked. Sam sat in front of his laptop, looking at the journal entry. He shook his head, shut the laptop, and stood up.

"Yeah?"

"I found and brought him in…" Castiel said. He stepped aside, revealing Crowley. Sam charged up to the demon and pinned him to the wall, lifting him to eye level.

"THIS IS _YOUR_ FAULT!" He shouted at Crowley, seeing red. "_YOU_ LET HIM TAKE THE MARK! YOU _WANTED_ HIM TO! THAT PIECE OF LUCIFER! NOW HE'S GONE!"

"Down, Moose." Crowley said. "How was I supposed to know Abaddon was breaking Lucifer out of the cage? I was a bit too busy _**BEING HELD AGAINST MY WILL AND FIGHTING TO TAKE MY THRONE BACK FROM THAT PSYCHOTIC HARPY**_!" He shouted with a glare.

"That's enough. Both of you!" Cas said, getting between both of them. Sam sighed and let Crowley go. Crowley dropped down and straightened out his suit.

"I just… I can't believe this is happening… I mean, Dean being taken over by Lucifer…" Sam said.

"It's not out of the realm of possibility. You may be Lucifer's true vessel, but you and your brother are obviously of the same bloodline. It makes sense that he could use Dean as well…"

"Right. Like how Michael could use Dad and Adam. It's just… Why did Dean let him in?"

"Does it really matter right now?" Crowley asked. "We have Lucifer out and about, here to finish what he started, and he won't be too keen on letting certain people run around free…" He said, pointing to himself. "Especially those of us who took over his throne…"

"If Lucifer's free, Michael could be out as well…" Cas added.

"And maybe Adam…" Sam mused. "But, one brother at a time… We need to stop Lucifer."

"We don't have the Horsemen's rings…" Crowley pointed out.

"And I doubt you're willing to put Dean in The Cage, anyway…" Cas stated. "Not that I would, either…"

Sam shook his head. "I'm not leaving Dean alone with Lucifer down there. I know what it's like down there."

"Well, my dears, that just leaves us with _oodles_ of options, doesn't it?" Crowley said, rolling his eyes.

Sam sighed. "Yeah, but this time we have The Men of Letters's resources. We can find a way…"

"We don't even know where Lucifer is!" Crowley stated.

"I swear, I will try to find him, Sam…" Cas declared.

"We're all going to look for him, Cas…"

"Excuse me, but _ALL_ of us?" Crowley asked. "I'm going to be avoiding him like the plague. To him, I'm the insubordinate little worm who helped you boys lock him back up in the first place!"

Sam glared at Crowley. "Look, it's taking all my effort not to murder you for what you've done. Don't push it…"

Crowley was taken aback a moment. "I must say, Moose. I do love it when get like this…" Crowley said with a smirk. Sam almost charged at him again, but Cas held him back. "But we do need each other." Crowley continued. "I can hold down the fort and look for answers while you and the angel look for our darling Dean…"

Sam sighed. "Fine. Well, Team Free Will, together again, for the most part."

"More like Team Free Dean…" Cas suggested.

Crowley look his head. "Cheesy. Just cheesy." He sighed. "A hunter that's been broken too many times, an offbeat angel, and The once and future King of Hell versus Lucifer and the apocalypse. Humanity is doomed…"

Sam sighed. It was going to be a long few days. "Don't count us out so soon…"

~0~

A/N: Okay, so I didn't mention it in an AN at the end of the prologue, but I got the inspiration for the fic the "Dean becomes Lucifer's vessel" by a Tumblr theory (credit for the initial idea goes to thejadedkiwano on Tumblr) You can look it up and read it, it's mind-blowing! I tried to explain it here, though. Carry on, my wayward companions! -CH


	3. Chapter 2: The Devil Inside

Jimmy Novak's description didn't even begin to describe what Dean was feeling.

His "body" initially felt like it was burning, but at the same time it was freezing. Every fiber of his being felt like it was being pulled away. It was like he was loosing his grip on everything. But he couldn't scream.

Then he felt nothing. His mind and soul were completely disconnected from the physical world. He was in a white void. But he was still aware of everything.

Everything Lucifer did in his body, Dean was along for ride. He let out a primal yell. He saw a figure form beside him. A familiar blond man. "Lucifer…" he snarled.

"Hello again, Dean! Thanks for renting the place out to me. I swear, I'm a _great_ roommate…" Lucifer said with a smug grin. "I've been browsing around your head, and I'm loving it here. A bit of a fixer-upper, but I'll make do…" He changed his appearance to Sam's. More specifically, the Sam Dean saw in the bad future. The one possessed by Lucifer.

"I told you we'd always end up here…" he said in Sam's voice. "Though in retrospect, I was kinda vague about whether it'd be us and Sam…"

Dean ran up to Lucifer to throttle him. Lucifer flicked is wrist and launched Dean away from him. "Dean, it's as if you don't want me here. _You_ took The Mark, after all…"

"You know why I took it! And I don't!"

"Yeah, but remember our little deal." Lucifer put his hand over his chest. "I can't promise I'll uphold it if I'm wearing someone else…" Lucifer said, wagging his finger at Dean. He smiled. "Besides, do you know the damage I could do to you if I left? Remember my brother's vessel?"

Dean did remember Raphael's first vessel. The man was so broken. Alive in only the vaguest sense of the word. Dean hated to imagine what Lucifer would do to him, purely out of spite.

"Besides, lucky for you, I didn't completely cut you off or banish your soul. No, you a front row seat to the end. You get to see experience little thing I do with your body. See every person I kill, hear every scream, smell every burning corpse, all of it! Seems only fitting, seeing as you locked me up in The Cage all those years. And then took Sam's soul from me…" Lucifer growled.

"I'm not giving up! I'll find a way out! Or Sam and Cas will!" Dean shouted.

"As if I'm scared of Castiel. He breaks so easily. As for Sam? We'll see about him…" Lucifer grinned sinisterly (an action made more unnerving by the fallen archangel wearing his brother's face).

"Welcome back to Hell, Dean Winchester…"


	4. Chapter 3: First Hunt

_ May 19, 2014_

_ Cas and I just "finished" a hunt today. The first since Dean disappeared. I would've preferred continuing to help track down Lucifer and finding a way to trap him. But Crowley insisted we go._

_"We haven't found a lead yet, Sam! And you two are no help to me in your state. Go hunt something. The world doesn't stop because Dean's gone. I'll keep searching…"_

_ I hate to admit it, but Crowley was right. I still have to carry on the family business. "Maybe some normalcy _could_ help," I thought. Dean would want me to go on and fight this thing until the end. I found a case and me and Cas were off._

_ I know its weird, but as soon as we got in The Impala, it felt almost… wrong. Being behind the wheel instead of Dean, like it usually was. Cas riding shotgun instead. I know I've hunted without Dean before, but given the circumstances… It couldn't be helped, though. We had work to do, after all._

_ There was a string of murders and robberies throughout New Jersey. Funny thing was, the bodies were usually found not long after the robberies. Their autopsies showed the victims (all connected to the site of the robberies) had been dead for days. But people they knew swore they'd been alive just hours ago. The papers' called them "The Time Warp Murders"._

_ Yeah, it seemed like or sort of thing._

_ The recent robbery/murder (a bank) confirmed what we were dealing with. Me and Cas, (or rather; "Agents Black and Lupin") went to the police department to see what they had. Get this, it turns out they had security footage this time. There was a group of men in nice suits. All of them were completely identical. There was also the bank manager, the recent victim, helping load up money. Pretty eagerly by the looks of things. _

_ Each of them, at one point or another, glanced at the camera. All their eyes reflected. "Pretty damn weird, right?" The officer had said. I nodded, thanked the officer, and me and Cas left. _

_ "We got shifters." I told Cas. _

_ "They haven't been around since Crowley killed the Alpha…" Cas stated. "They all sort of scattered when he died; and went into hiding. Some must've organized…"_

_ "So it looks like we have shifter mobsters. Dean would've killed to work this case…" I said._

_ Cas put his hand on my shoulder. "We _will_ find Dean, Sam. If I know Dean Winchester, and I do, he's fighting Lucifer from the inside as we speak…" He said, giving me that sad puppy look he'd more or less patented. There was a hint of uncertainty in his voice._

_ Cas figured out the Shifter Mob had been working their way northwest. We decided to drive to the next town and stop them there. We didn't have to search long. The shifters were tracking us, too. They found us at our motel. _

_ It obviously led to a fight. They were armed and vicious. Thankfully, I had a silver knife with me. I managed to stab and kill three of them. Cas smited two at once, then a third for good measure. (Personally, I thought it was a bit overkill, but whatever. It got the job done…) I slashed the last one across the face, leaving a nasty gash. He retaliated by hitting me across the head with a chair and knocking me out._

_ Cas woke me up not long after. He said the shifter got away, and offered to go after him. I told him no. He could be anywhere now. Besides, I figured we should go back to The Bunker._

_ I'm sure Dean would berate me for letting the shifter go. I'm pretty mad about it, too. Cas even seems a little irritated with me. _

_But here's the thing: I would've landed a more fatal blow, but I just… My head's just not in it right now. It's miles away, hoping my brother's going to survive. I think Cas understands, sort of._

_ …All I want is to find Dean. The sooner I get him back from Lucifer, then end the Archangel, the better…_

_-Sam_


	5. Chapter 4: Breakthrough

Sam and Cas returned to The Bunker, tired of driving. In retrospect, Cas could have teleported them back, but he wasn't sure he could teleport the Impala, too. They knew Dean would kill them if they abandoned The Impala, and Sam couldn't leave it behind, either.

Crowley was on the phone, having a rather heated discussion with whoever was on the line. Sam was about to ask him if he made any progress on Dean. Crowley pressed his fingers to his lips and glared at Sam. "This is important, Moose" he mouthed.

"Yeah, I'm still here, Dorian. Look, I _know_ you hate using human phone lines, but… Uh huh…"

Sam shook his head and went to the books. He started researching ways to defeat Lucifer again. Cas placed a hand on Sam's shoulder and took the book from his hands.

"_Sam_. You've been driving for hours and haven't slept in days. You and I both know what that does to a body. Let me research ways to defeat Lucifer. You need to rest…"

Sam shook his head. "I have to do this. Dean would…"

"…Dean would want you to take care of yourself! You're not alone, Sam, you have me and Crowley…"

"I know! I just… I know what it's like, having Lucifer in control. I don't want Dean to suffer through it anymore than he has to…"

"Yes. I _understand_. But…"

"Ciao!" Crowley said as he hung up the phone. "Well, that was one of the few remaining supporters I have left. Honestly, Lucifer returns and _everyone_ goes to follow him like a sheep…" he tisked. "But he had a lead on Deanifer."

Sam snapped his attention to the demon. "What?"

"Turns out our favorite archangel is apparently working his way to Detroit. No one quite knows why, but he's stopping to raise hell along the way. His last known location was Missouri…"

"That doesn't give us much time." Sam said with a frown. "This is the best news I've had all week, though. If we get there first, we could stop him! Cas, get in the car! We have to…!"

Cas touched Sam's forehead (which was no small feat). The hunter tumbled over, asleep. Cas managed to catch him and patted his back. "Sorry, Sam…"

Crowley shook his head and laughed. "You magicked him asleep? _Cas_…"

"If Sam will not take care of himself, I will…" Cas replied.

Crowley raised his hands up in surrender. "Okay, then… You two might want to leave soon. Lucifer's route's been unpredictable…"

Cas nodded, and he and the sleeping Sam popped out of the room. Their next stop: Detroit.


	6. Chapter 5: Instrument Of Murder

A/N: I feel it only right to warn that this chapter's violent… Carry on carefully, my Wayward Companions… -CH

"You sure hold one hell of a grudge…" Dean said. "No pun intended…"

Lucifer was standing over Cain, violently stabbing at The Father of Murder with The First Blade. The demon had been long since dead by now, but he continued to hack at his corpse.

"Just fulfilling your promise. You were going to kill him anyway, weren't you?" Lucifer asked, still appearing to Dean as his brother.

"Yeah, but I was going to stab and go. Not mutilate him!"

Lucifer shrugged. "Well, he killed my Knights…"

"I thought you hated demons. They were next on your hit list after humans…"

"What can I say? I grew attached to them. I still would've put them down, but they'd at least go last…"

Dean felt sick. It was like torturing in Hell all over again. Lucifer looked over at him and smirked. He stepped away from the bloody hash that was Cain.

"Brings back old memories, doesn't it?" Lucifer said. "But we have places to go…" He teleported them to another city.

"What do you even want in Detroit, anyway?"

"I have something I need to pick up. A little… Insurance…"

Dean didn't like the sound of that. And he couldn't comb through Lucifer's mind like the angel could with his. He noticed where they were. "This isn't Detroit…" He said. "So why're we stopping?"

"And here I thought Sam was the brains… It's just a little fun…" Lucifer replied. He grabbed a random woman off the street and dragged her to the alley. He proceeded to smash her head into a wall. She tried to cry out, but Lucifer started strangling her.

"WHAT THE HELL!?" Dean shouted.

"You said it yourself, I hold a grudge. And I want you to know it was your body responsible for killing this woman. That you were an instrument of murder, and you couldn't do a thing. Her blood's going to be on your hands, and you're going to feel every moment…" He said.

It was true. Dean could feel the woman's throat, constricted in his hands. As she was going limp, Lucifer let go, only to repeatedly stab her. Blood splattered the alleyway. Finally, he snapped her neck. She fell to the ground.

Internally, Dean was shaking. He collapsed to his knees. It was giving him flashbacks to Hell again. All the torture. The first one…

Lucifer smiled, smug with satisfaction. "Enough detours. We need to get to Detroit. Before he shows up…"

"Who's he?" Dean said, feeling like he was going to throw up.

Lucifer said nothing. He only glared into the distance as they teleported away.


	7. Chapter 6: Heart's Desire

Sam and Cas had been searching for Lucifer all day. Sam was growing frustrated. He grabbed a bottle of beer from the motel room's mini-fridge aggressively. "Anything, Cas?"

"I've been searching everywhere, Sam. He isn't here yet… Though I did discover something…" the angel replied, tossing Sam a newspaper. "A woman murdered her husband recently. It's one of a string of similar murders. It might be sirens…"

"There's something I haven't seen in years…" Sam said. "Well, great. We have that to deal with, too…" He added, exasperated.

"Since you have experience with this sort of thing, you look for the siren. I will continue searching for Lucifer. Will you need anything to kill it?"

"Yeah, a bronze dagger…"

Cas disappeared from the room, then reappeared a moment later. "It took a while, but I found a dagger…"

Sam nodded and snatched the dagger. Cas disappeared again. Sam groaned. It felt like Cas was trying to keep him from helping Dean. He sighed and went to investigate the siren.

~0~

After much research, it turned out that all the siren-influenced murderers had something in common. Upon further investigation, they had all gone to at least one funeral in the past few months, at the same funeral home. Each of the murderers, when Sam interviewed them, mentioned that the funeral worker was "just like" the one person they lost. And that they were "just so kind, and they gave me a glass of water every time…"

Sam knew he had to head to the funeral home. He was pulling out the bronze dagger when he remembered something important.

He didn't have the infected blood of a siren's victim.

That's when he got an idea…

~0~

Sam waited in the lobby for the funeral worker. He hoped his plan would work. He heard the door open and gasped.

A man his thirties entered. He had green eyes and sandy hair. He was like an ersatz Dean. The false Dean smiled. "Hey, how can I help you?"

Sam pulled out a badge. "I need to know if you know about the recent murders…"

The man shook his head. "I have no idea what you're talking about. Care for a glass of water?"

Sam shook his head. "Don't play dumb. I know what you are…"

The siren tilted his head. "Oh. You do?"

Sam nodded, hoping things would go according to plan.

"Is it _really_ so wrong what I'm doing? I'm giving them a little piece of who they lost…"

"…Then making them murder the few loved ones they have left? Forgive me if I don't call you a saint…"

The siren scowled. "Here, maybe if I give you a little taste…" he charged at Sam.

The two fought until the siren slammed Sam into a bookshelf. It collapsed on the hunter, pinning him to the ground. The siren wrenched his mouth open and spat into it. Sam felt the venom taking hold.

All according to plan.

"You've lost your brother. You feel terrible because your relationship was on the rocks, don't you? No matter what, you still love him deep down. He's the only family you have left, after all. Well, let me fill the void, Sammy. You just got to get rid of one little thing…"

"CAS!" He called, praying for the angel.

Cas appeared instantaneously. He lifted the bookcase off Sam. Sam went in to attack Cas, but the angel pinned him to the wall and sliced his arm with the bronze dagger. He shoved Sam aside and turned his attention to the siren.

Cas hesitated a moment when he saw the siren (or rather, who it resembled). The siren charged at him. Cas, in turn, stabbed it in the stomach.

Sam snapped out of the spell. He saw as Cas stabbed the siren a few more times, despite it being dead. Sam called Cas's name. Cas snapped out of the trance-like state he was in and helped Sam up, healing his cut.

Sam started feeling bad for being frustrated with the angel. He knew Cas wanted to save Dean just as much as he did. But he was still trying to look out for him. Sam had a feeling he had to look out for Castiel, too, though.

"Ugh. You can't count on a siren for _anything_…"

Sam and Cas both stiffened at the voice. It sounded so heartbreakingly familiar, but it felt so foreign. They turned around.

"_Dean_!"

"_Lucifer_…"

~0~

Alright, I _was_ on hiatus for this fic a bit to wrap up "Open The Floodgates" (haven't finished. I almost am, though…), but I had this chapter and just had to finish. Soon as I wrap up "Floodgates", I'll devote more time to _this_ fic! Yay! \(^o^)/

Carry On, My Wayward Companions! -CH


	8. Chapter 7: Brother Of Mine

"Sam, we _must_ stop meeting like this…" Lucifer said, smirking at him. His eyes darted to Castiel. "And Cas, I haven't seen you since you molotoved Michael. I seem to recall you exploding…"

Cas just glared at Lucifer. "_Don't_ call me "Cas"…"

"Aw, c'mon." Lucifer replied, doing his best Dean impression. "I thought you liked it when I called you "Cas"…"

Cas stepped forward. "Lucifer, get _out_ of Dean…" He demanded.

Lucifer pretended to ponder Castiel's order. "Hmm… Nope! Dean _wants_ me in here, remember? We have a little deal going on. I gotta say, he's grown on me." He smirked. "I can see why you're so fond of the messed up little bast-"

Cas tackled Lucifer. He proceeded to punch him in the face. "GET! OUT! OF! HIM!" Cas shouted, each word punctuated by a punch.

Sam ran over to help. Lucifer simply laughed and shoved the two away with his telekinesis. Lucifer turned his attention to Sam. The archangel pinned the hunter against the wall. He proceeded to imprison him in a crude barricade of furniture.

"Stay back, Junior. The adults are talking…"

He went over to Castiel. Lucifer grabbed the angel by his hair and dragged him back towards Sam. He repeatedly slammed Cas's head into the desk. Cas took the bronze knife and stabbed Lucifer in the leg. Lucifer let go.

"Was that supposed to kill me?" He hissed.

Cas got up, wiping the blood from his face. "Sadly, no…" He spat out some blood and removed his trenchcoat. He drew his angel blade.

"Nice toy…" Lucifer said, drawing his archangel blade. "But mine's better…"

The two continued to clash at each other. Cas was constantly trying to wrestle Lucifer's blade from him. Both landed cuts on the other. Then Lucifer grabbed Cas's arm. He twisted it behind his back. Lucifer wrestled the angel blade out of his grip. He kicked Cas to the floor.

Lucifer yawned and strolled over to the angel. "Cas, you're barely a challenge. It was cute at first…" He said, stepping on Castiel's hand. "But now it's gotten old…" He stabbed the angel blade through Cas's arm and to the floor. Cas cried out in pain. Lucifer knelt down over Castiel. He pinned his head down and raised his blade, ready to stab him.

"DEAN! I know you're in there!" Cas called out. "You can't do this." Tears welled in the angel's eyes. You're my family. I-I need you…" He choked out. "_Sam_ needs you…"

Sam was trying to wrestle his way out the barricade. "_Dean, NO_!" He called out.

Their words made Lucifer pause. For a moment, he looked like Dean again. Sam continued to try and escape the barricade.

Suddenly, Crowley appeared. "Why the HELL aren't you answering your phone, Sam? I have…" He noticed Lucifer straddling Cas. "Aw, f-"

Lucifer stood up. Any trace of Dean was gone again. "Well, if it isn't The Usurper." He said, momentarily forgetting Castiel. He stood up and gripped Crowley's throat with his telekinesis.

"Hey, they chose to follow me, didn't they?" Crowley said, voice strangled.

Lucifer raised his hand. He was about to snap Crowley out of existence. Sam had almost escaped the barricade. He hurried to get out.

But then something strange happened.

"Okay, I've seen enough…" A voice said. Suddenly Sam, Cas, and Crowley were teleported out of the room.

Lucifer swore. _He_ found them.

~0~

Dean was livid. "WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR DEAL!?"

"You didn't say anything about Castiel. He is fair game." Lucifer replied, again taking the form of his first vessel. "Besides, Sam wasn't in danger. Not with me or the siren. You know that…"

He then walked over to Dean and grabbed his throat. "But let's talk about that little stunt back there…" He threw Dean across the "room". "Did you honestly try to take back control?" He said, walking over Dean. He kicked him in the gut. "Never do that again. You need me to…"

"_I_ don't need _you_, _you_ need _me_ you son of a…"

Lucifer proceeded to beat Dean to a pulp. Dean lay curled up on the floor, still alive.

"I'm getting tired of your mouth, Dean." He frowned and got up.

"Great. Now Gabriel has _them_, too…"


	9. Chapter 8: Old Tricks

Sam looked around the unfamiliar room. It was a spacious loft. The curtains were drawn closed and it was sparsely furnished. He looked over to Cas and Crowley. Cas didn't acknowledge Sam. He was shaking, an icy fury dancing in his eyes. Crowley shrugged at Sam. Sam sighed; none of them knew what had happened.

A young, gaunt woman walked the room. She was wearing a sweatshirt far too big for her and was brushing her teeth. Her eyes widened when she saw the trio. She pulled the toothbrush out her mouth, toothpaste foam oozing out her lips. The woman tugged the sweatshirt down. "_SERIOUSLY_!? WHAT THE HE-" She then seemed struck with realization, and backed away. "**GABRIEL**!" She called.

Sam raised his eyebrows. "Did you say "Gabriel"?"

"The one you know and love!" The infamous archangel said, popping into the room. He was sucking on a sucker. "Well, if it isn't my favorite people… And Crowley…"

The woman glared at Gabriel. "You brought them _here_? You couldn't have warned me first? You know; "Hey, Sybil! I'm bringing three of Hell's Most Wanted home, you might want to put on some pants"!?"

Gabriel rolled his eyes and took the sucker out his mouth. "Look, I didn't intend to. I didn't think they were gonna screw up so bad. I had to intervene. Deal with it!"

"But…! UGH!" She threw her hands up and stormed back down the hall.

Sam looked incredulously at Gabriel. "You're alive?"

Gabriel held his hands out. "Surprise!"

Sam tilted his head. "…How?"

Gabriel shrugged. "Dad."

The word seemed to snap Cas out of his trance. "Father!? God is back?"

Gabriel made the "so-so" gesture. "Kinda. He's not making any big appearances. After Heaven opened and you went back to help Sam, God called everyone else back. He pretty much told the other angels he wanted them to stay up in Heaven a while. They'd, quote, "done enough on Earth.""

He clapped Cas on the back. "Thanks to you, though, they were more willing to listen…" Gabriel said, sounding proud. Cas smiled, almost bashfully.

"But anyway, He brought me back to keep an eye on the new prophet…"

Sam pointed down the hall. "That girl?"

Gabriel nodded. "Agnes Shepard. But she prefers to be called "Sybil". She won't shut up if you don't."

Cas raised an eyebrow. "Wait. If that's why you're back, why didn't God bring you back when Kevin was activated?"

Gabriel rolled his eyes. "He already had two archangels looking out for them. Or at least their vessels." He said, nodding towards Sam. Sam felt pang of guilt at the mention of Kevin.

Crowley finally spoke up (to the amazement of his companions). "So, let me get this straight: there are no other angels at the moment?"

"Yup." Gabriel replied. "Just me, Cas, and Lucifer down here. Though I think Michael's somewhere. I haven't exactly seen him…"

Castiel shook his head. "Why did you have to intervene? We could have stopped…"

Gabriel glared at Castiel. "No. You couldn't. Last I checked, Lucifer was going to ventilate you," he said, pointing to the angel.

He then pointed to Crowley. "Make the ex-King of Hell here meat paste…" (Crowley pouted at the remark.)

He finally pointed to Sam. "And do who knows what to Sam." He shook his head. "Did you idiots even _have_ a plan?"

Cas looked contemplative. "Not really. Perhaps Sam could have taken Lucifer's archangel blade and…"

"Really? You think Sam would murder the brother he's trying to save? Especially if you're dead? Hell, YOU couldn't even take the blade from Lucifer! What makes you think Sam could?"

"I… Try not to underestimate The Winchesters. You should not, either…"

Gabriel groaned. "It's not about underestimating…!"

Sybil returned to the room, interrupting the argument. "Hey, do you guys need anything?"

Crowley raised a hand. "Got any Craig?"

Sybil frowned. "We have crappy gas station beer. Live with it."

Crowley rolled his eyes. "Well. She's going to be a treat, I can tell. Worse than the last one…"

~0~

The group sat around a coffee table in the middle of the floor. They drank and ate. Sybil looked up. "So, lemme get this straight…" She said, her mouth full of takeout. She swallowed and pointed at Sam with her fork. "Lucifer's in your brother right now?"

Sam nodded.

"Dude, that is rough. You can't catch a break, can you? I mean, the suicidal depression, then the broken trust, then your boyfriend here being in a coma all that time…" She said, pointing to Crowley.

Crowley nearly spat out his beer. Sam got a puzzled look. "Um… He's not my boyfriend. He's not exactly my type." He said. Crowley was offended by the remark.

Sybil continued, "And Cas, I was pulling for you and Dean, after he said "screw you" to Gadreel and let you move in…"

"No such thing happened." Cas stated.

"Sybil?" Gabriel said, "You got things confused again…"

Sybil swore. "Sorry. My head's screwy. Sometimes, I see other universes instead of this one…"

"She wasn't even _supposed_ to be the prophet." Gabriel explained. "But _somebody_ saw the list of prophets," he raised an eyebrow at Crowley. Crowley raised his bottle in a mock toast. "So God had to improvise." Gabriel concluded.

"But I've gotten better, though!" Sybil protested.

"Yeah, you've kept it to this century lately. I swear, if you called for me in the middle of the night, sobbing about Cas, Dean, and Elvis records _one more time_…"

Sybil elbowed him.

"And it helps that you're quitting the d-"

She elbowed him harder.

Sam cleared his throat. "So she's why Lucifer came to Detroit…"

Gabriel nodded.

"I must say, our differences aside, I have to give God credit for finally choosing the right archangel…" Crowley said.

"Yup. My centuries as a coward are finally paying off…"

As the two continued their conversation (Sybil occasionally interjecting), Sam turned to Castiel. "Cas, can we talk?"

Castiel nodded. The two left the room, heading for the lone bedroom.


	10. Chapter 9: Outburst

Sybil's room was a manifestion of chaos. The floor was littered with blankets, clothes, and various odd objects (Sam swore he saw a spoon among the clutter). There were painted canvases, crookedly hung. The paintings all seemed to vaguely resemble something, but Sam couldn't place his finger on it. There were also words scrawled on the walls, resembling those on God's tablets. The bed was the sole piece of furniture. It was stripped of all but one blanket and a lumpy pillow. Castiel looked unnerved. Sam just shook his head.

Sam closed the door the door behind them. He looked Cas in the eye. "What's with you, lately?"

Cas tilted his head, confused. "What do you mean?"

"You've been more violent lately. First the shifters, then the siren, now that fight with Lucifer! You could've gotten yourself killed!"

"I was willing to risk it, if it meant stopping him…" Cas replied harshly.

"How can I trust you if you're going to flip out like this? Maybe I'm better off alone…"

Cas slammed Sam into the wall. "Don't act like you're the only one who wants Dean back! That you're the only one looking for solutions!" He barked. "Or that you're the only one who knows the Hell he's going through. You're not the only one who's had Lucifer in their head, remember?"

Cas sighed. He eased up on Sam. "I would rip this world apart to get Dean back. And I'd do anything I can not to loose you, too. You're all I have left." He looked down. "All that time… I should've been there with you two…"

Sam gripped Cas's shoulders. He should've realized what had been wrong with him. After all, Cas had been through his own share of crap the past few years. "Cas, you know we're going to save Dean, right?"

Cas nodded.

"And Dean's clearly fighting back?"

Cas nodded again.

"Look, we both know too well Dean'd do anything for me. But I know he'd go to extremes for you, too. If you're looking after me for him, I need to do the same for you. We're partners. Got it?"

Castiel nodded, a small smile creeping to his lips. "I understand, Sam…"

Sam pulled the angel in for a hug. Cas awkwardly patted his back. There was a knock at the door, splitting the two up.

"You guys done having sexual tension yet?" They heard Sybil call from the other side of the door.

Sam opened the door. The prophet stood there, tapping her foot and scratching her arm. Sam and Cas exited the room.

"You can stay here for the night. We're completely off Deanifer's radar here. We've only got my bed and a futon, though, so it won't exactly be The Ritz…"

Sam shrugged. "I've slept worse places…"

"And Crowley and I don't require sleep…" Castiel replied.

Sybil smiled. "Good… Now can you split your demon up from my archangel? Gabriel magicked up some heavy-duty booze. Now they're smashed…"

The two nodded and headed for the living room.

~0~

"'M tellin' ya, he wuznt injustif- enjusti- He wuznt wrong!" Crowley shouted drunkenly.

"Yeah, buuuuut that doesn't mean he could be a *hic* dick abut it!" Gabriel slurred.

"And Squ- Squirtle could? It wuz th' blooooody wankerz fault in th' first place!"

"He can make *hic* m-mistakes!"

"An' Moosey can't? Der too attached anyways…"

Gabriel paused, as if Crowley had just revealed all the world's secrets. "Well… *hic* Yur just a dick… Wif a beard… Yur a dickbeard!" He said, then laughed at his oh-so-cutting remark.

Crowley was about to cry about the vicious insult. Castiel finally spoke up. "Gabriel! Crowley!"

Gabe turned around and grinned. "Hey! M'little bro! *Hic* What's up?"

"Caaaaaaaaaassie! Hiz bein a meanie…" Crowley said, pointing at Gabriel accusingly.

Castiel didn't humor them with a response. He grabbed the two and dragged them to another room.

Sybil suddenly winced and clutched her head. She screamed in agony, her eyes squeezed shut. Sam panicked. "What's going on!?"

"SOMETHING TO WRITE WITH! NOW!" She said through gritted teeth. Her eyes were a solid blue glow. Sam complied, handing her a Sharpie. The prophet took them and scrawled something Enochian on the wall. She dropped the Sharpie and blinked. Her eyes returned to their normal amber. She started shaking, loosing her balance.

Sam grabbed her and guided her to the couch. "Are you okay?"

She nodded as they sat down. "Just got some glimpses at the future… And other places… I don't know…" She gave Sam a look. "You're not pregnant with Impala/Human hybrids, are you?"

Sam looked confused. "No."

"Good." She rubbed her temples. "I hate seeing all these other universes!"

"Is it always that painful?"

Sybil shook her head. "Used to be worse. Gabe says my body needs to adjust more, given the retroactive prophet-making…" She shook her head. "I had a way to make it hurt less, but…" She scratched her arm and sighed. "I didn't want this…"

Sam shook his head. He got up and grabbed his beer. "Neither did Kevin…"

Sybil nodded. She laughed bitterly. "I could have it worse, though. I could be you…" She said sarcastically. The prophet soon frowned, regretting her choice of words. "I-I'm just gonna go to bed…"

Sam simply took a drink.


	11. Chapter 10: Unknown Roads

_ May 25, 2014_

_ We got back from Detroit last night. From what I hear, Gabriel and Sybil skipped town after we left. They didn't say where they were going. Though they gave us a number to call if we needed anything. At least we have more people to rely on._

~0~

_June 10, 2014_

_ Crowley's been gone a few days. He left The Bunker a day after Detroit. He didn't tell me where he was going, either._

_ "I've got some business to handle, Moose…" He told me._

_ "What sort of business? I asked._

_ "Oh, nothing. It's a personal matter…" He replied._

_ "How do I know you're not going to betray me?"_

_ He sighed at me. "Sam, let me tell you a funny thing: the more you expect me to screw you, the more likely I am to screw you in the end. And NOT in the fun way…" He replied, and exited The Bunker._

_ I'm not saying I'm worried about him. I'm just curious as to where he went. We just haven't heard from him. I hate not knowing…_

_ But at least Cas and I've been better. We're looking out for one another. We're even hunting again. _

_ Still little progress on Dean, though. We haven't heard much regarding Lucifer since Detroit. Doesn't help that Crowley's gone God knows where._

_ I know Dean's fighting Lucifer, I saw it back in Detroit. And we can still get to him. Hopefully we can save him…_

~0~

_June 12, 2014_

_ We just started a job in New York. It seemed pretty normal at first. Some people had made deals with some crossroads demon and got killed for it._

_ But then we started digging._

_ Turns out, a majority of the victims hadn't hit the ten year deadline. And to top it off, there were no signs of hellhounds. _

_ "A crossroads demon killing "clients" early again?" I told Cas. "If Crowley were here, he'd be fuming…"_

_ "I AM surprised Crowley hasn't intervened…" Cas mused. "He does value keeping deals…" _

_I guess self-preservation beats out personal integrity._

_ Anyway, things have taken another unexpected turn. We've met another hunter, Rachel Salt. She claims to know who the demon is. We're going to find out what she knows._

_ I have a feeling I'm not going to like it…_

~0~

A/N: Sorry it took so long to get this sucker out. Writer's block. But hopefully I've gotten past that. Carry on, my Wayward Companions! -CH


	12. Chapter 11: Worn Out Faces

Sam and Castiel knocked on the hotel door. Rachel greeted them with a scowl. "I'm quite busy, boys. No time to entertain…" She said, trying to close the door. Sam threw his arm in the doorway.

"We need to talk about the demon…" He said.

"I've got it handled. Been waiting for this bitch to surface for ages…"

"By yourself? Do you even _know_ how to kill a demon?"

"I've been hunting since I was fourteen…" Rachel said, folding her arms.

"Yeah, but can you kill it?" Sam persisted.

She paused, then sighed angrily. "Bollocks!" She moved aside to allow the men in.

~0~

"This demon, I knew her when she was a human. Seventeen years ago, she made her deal. My parents died as a result. My sister Evelyn and I learned about it years later. We swore we'd kill the demon responsible. And I swore I'd kill her. We became hunters that day.

"I just found out she's demon and out and about. I'd get my sister to help, but…" She sighed, closing her eyes and hanging her head. Sam understood.

"I'm not going to let her get away…" Rachel said icily. Sam nodded.

"We're going with you…" Sam said.

Rachel groaned. "Fine. But _I_ get to kill her…"

Cas and Sam nodded.

Rachel motioned them to step towards her map. "Good, now, I believe the next victim will be here…"

~0~

The forced trio made their way through an apartment complex. They heard a scream from one of the apartment. Sam kicked the door open. They hustled through the well-decorated place. Cas motioned toward the master bedroom. The door was slightly ajar.

"P-please, C-Crowley told me I had 10 years…" A man pleaded.

"There's been a change in plans…" A woman's voice replied.

Rachel peered through the doorway. "Abbie…" she said venomously, shoving the door open. Sam paused. The name sounded familiar, but he couldn't place why.

Rachel shot at the demon. The salt round grazed the demon's arm. She winced, turning around to face her attacker. She snapped her hostage's neck with her mind.

The demon briefly glanced at Rachel, but ultimately focused of Sam. Her eyes widened. "Sam Winchester?"

Sam shook his head. "Who are you?"

She glared at him. "Don't you remember? The rabbit's foot? The hand of glory? The African Dream Root?" She rolled her eyes.

Sam'd eyes widened. He remembered. Her face was different, due to her vessel, but he remembered.

"Bela?"

Rachel looked over to Sam. "You know her, too?"

She nodded. "Pleasure to see you again, Sam…" She flicked her wrist, sending him and Rachel flying. Sam drew his gun and shot a Devil's Trap bullet at former thief. It lodged itself in her leg. Bela tried to move, but she found herself immobilized.

She chuckled. "I must say, I'm impressed…"

Cas drew his angel blade, poised to strike, when Sam threw his hand out.

"Don't! I want answers first…"

Rachel glared at Sam. "What answers do you want? She's a demon and needs to be killed!"

"I want to know _why_ she's killing everyone early!"

Bela rolled her eyes. "Seeing as you have me here… I'm killing them because it's the end of the world. There's no "ten years" for them. Why give them false hope?" She frowned. "Or let them think they can escape? Besides, isn't it better to be on the winning side than stuck in the crossfire?"

Sam knew all too well that demons weren't safe. No matter who won, demons would be killed. He nearly told her so, if not for Rachel interrupting.

"Don't act so noble, Abbie! You're a selfish bitch! Always were!"

"Rachel. Should have realized it was you." Bela said venomously. "You should know why I made my deal! YOU KNOW WHAT MY FATHER DID TO ME! WHAT MY MOTHER _LET_ HAPPEN TO ME!"

"AND YOUR LITTLE DEAL KILLED MY PARENTS, TOO!"

The two women continued to scream at each other. Sam held Rachel back. Cas looked over at Sam. He motioned to Bela, silently asking if he should kill her. Sam shook his head.

"Bela, do you know Lucifer's plan?"

"Of course I don't know Lucifer's plan! No one in Hell knows Lucifer's plan!"

"Would you be willing to make a deal, then? To try and find out?"

"Sam!" Castiel and Rachel said in unison. Cas's tone was one of concern. Rachel's fury.

Bela raised an eyebrow. "What would be in it for me?"

"Well, you would get to live, for one… And when this is over, we know how to make a demon human…"

Bela's eyes widened. "You'd really trust me enough to do that?"

Sam shook his head. "No, which is why Cas'd keep an ear out for you the whole time. The minute you betray us, he's allowed to kill you…"

Bela closed her eyes. She was almost smirking. "You have been learning. Alright, sounds fair. I'll take the deal." Her face then turned serious. "But I'm not getting anywhere near Lucifer. Not with his new face…" Sam nodded.

Cas walked to Sam."Sam, I do not like you making decisions without my input…" Cas whispered.

"Just trust me, Cas…" Sam whispered back. "Crowley's gone, and we need an inside man…"

Sam walked over to Bela. Cas took over restraining Rachel. "I can't dig the bullet out, but I can exorcise you…" He took a deep breath.

"_Deus, et pater Domini nostri Jesu Christi_…"

Rachel tried to escape Castiel's grip. "WINCHESTER, DON'T YOU DARE!"

Sam continued the exorcism. Bela's vessel threw her head back, smoke pouring her mouth. Sam went to the woman, catching her as she fell back. She smiled weakly. "Thank you…" She whispered, and lost consciousness.

Sam checked her pulse. "She's still alive…"

Rachel yanked herself out of Cas's hands. "Yeah. That's the problem. How the HELL could you do that to me!? After what I told you? She's a demon!"

"Look, there are bigger problems out there than your revenge. Lucifer's out and I need to stop him. You can have your revenge later…"

Rachel grabbed her blade and lunged at Sam. Cas grabbed her and touched her forehead, knocking her out. He scooped the hunter up and put a hand on Sam.

~0~

The four were transported back to Rachel's hotel room. Castiel rested the woman on her bed. "Sam, are you sure this is a good idea?"

Sam nodded. "Look, we need all the help we can get. Wish it was someone more trustworthy, but I'll take what I can get…"

"But if I am watching this… "Bela", that leaves you alone…"

Sam adjusted Bela's former vessel in his arms. "I've hunted alone before. I'll be fine. Besides, it's just until Bela proves herself trustworthy. Or Crowley gets back…"

Cas nodded. In the blink of an eye, he was gone.

Sam exited the hotel. He had to get the woman to a hospital as fast as he could. The hunter figured she'd take waking up there better than a sketchy hotel room. He set the woman in the passenger seat.

He himself sat back in The Impala, turning on her engine. "Alright, Cas, your turn to pick-" He sighed, remembering he sent Cas away. He missed the angel already.

Sam rifled through the tape collection. What tape hadn't been played fifty times this week?

There was a moan from the backseat. It made Sam pause. He knew that voice. He looked in the backseat, and gasped at the unexpected hitchhiker.


	13. Chapter 12: Hunter Discordia Part 1

Chapter 12 Hunter Discordia: Or How We Found The Goddess And What I Tried To Do When I Found Her

Crowley groaned again, clutching his side. He sat up, looking at Sam. "About time, Goliath. Thought you were going to leave me to bleed out, there…" He hissed.

"What the hell happened, Crowley?"

"I'm a little in pain right now!" He hissed and swore.l "And I've taken _such_ good care of this meatsuit…"

Sam sighed. "Let me get this woman to the hospital, first…"

Crowley groaned and flopped back on the seat. Sam sighed again, irritated. It was going to be a long drive.

~0~

After dropping the woman off at the hospital, Sam pulled into the parking lot of a local bar. The back door to the Impala was open. Crowley sat up in the back, his arm raised. He was stripped of his coat and his dress shirt was unbuttoned. Sam sat kneeled outside the doorway, nursing the deep gashes in the demon's side.

"You know, Moose, the last person who tended to my wounds got a good shag…" Crowley said. "You're in a _really_ good position for…"

"Shut up, Crowley…" Sam replied, weaving one last strand of floss through the demon's flesh. He knotted the end. "Now, can you tell me what the hell happened to you?"

Crowley scowled. "I need a drink first…"

Sam was about to snap at him, but in all honesty, he could use one, too. He helped Crowley out of the Impala and closed the door. The two headed into the bar.

~0~

There was little that was significant about the bar. It was your standard, dingy, local hole-in-the-wall. It was still early for a drink, so few people were inside. In fact, there were even some chairs still flipped on top the tables. The duo navigated their way to the bar.

There was a blond man working the bar. He paused when he saw Sam, then smiled. "Hey, what can I get you?"

"A good, strong whiskey." Crowley grumbled.

"Just a beer…" Sam replied.

"Anything specific?"

"Whatever's good…"

The bartender smiled and scurried to get the drinks. He returned with the whiskey, then a cold beer, setting them on napkins.

"There you go!" He said, looking again at Sam, making the hunter feel uncomfortable.

"Uh… Thank you?"

The bartender lit up, then eagerly went off to another customer.

Crowley scoffed. "You always get the cute ones…"

Sam looked confused. Crowley rolled his eyes and pointed to Sam's napkin. On it, what appeared to be the bartender's name (it was smeared by the sweat of the glass) and number were hastily scrawled in blue ink. Crowley laughed as Sam processed this.

Sam sighed. "Quit changing the subject! What happened to you? Where the hell have you been?" He asked sternly.

Crowley shook his head. "I heard Lucifer crowned a new King of the Crossroads. A little leech who calls himself Memphis." He made a disgusted noise. "Well, I had a little run-in with him. The wanker tried to kill me. With one of my own angel blades!" He took another drink. "He's trashed all my properties! But luckily he didn't get _this_…" He adjusted his jacket, revealing a gun he'd concealed.

"What's the big deal about a gun?"

"It's not so much the gun as it is the bullets. You see, I melted down some angel blades to make bullets. If Memphis had his hand on this? I'd be dead. He's a good shot," he grabbed his side. "But _lousy_ with a knife…"

Sam sighed, rubbing his temples. "So we've got to deal with him, too?"

Crowley shook his head. "He's a nuisance, but Lucifer's still top priority…"

The door suddenly flew open. An impish-looking woman stood in the doorway. Her clothes were disheveled and asymmetrical. Her hair was a wild mass of golden curls. She smirked and touched her necklace. The air suddenly felt like a storm was brewing. Crowley tugged at Sam, and teleported them outside the bar. They stood outside the window and watched.

As the woman stepped inside, chaos erupted. A fury of people suddenly appeared and crowded into the bar, demanding drinks. The bartender was too preoccupied with another, well-dressed customer to do anything. Mainly, said customer kissing him fiercely. The bartender was eagerly reciprocating, stripping his partner of his jacket.

The crowd soon became a riot, glasses flying everywhere. They smashed and carpeted the floor. Chairs and tables where thrown about. The patrons soon turned on each other, beating each other to unconsciousness. Blood and alcohol soon stained the floor.

When things seemed to die down, Sam and Crowley re-entered the bar. The woman didn't look at them, she just smirked and touched her necklace again. It was gold with an apple-shaped charm hanging from the chain. Sam grabbed Crowley's gun and pointed it to her head.

"Now, is this any way to treat a lady?" She said.

"What the hell are you?" Sam asked.

She shook her head and looked at Crowley. "Crowls! _Darling_! I haven't seen you since the Stock Market Crash of '29! I couldn't recognize you at first! You've changed vessels!"

Crowley raised an eyebrow. "Who are y-?" He paused. "Wait a minute…" He inspected the woman. "Eris?"

Eris smiled. "Obviously." She turned her attention back to Sam. "The name's Eris, Goddess of Chaos, Discord, Strife, et cetera. Pleasure to see you again, Sam…"

"What do you mean, "see me again"?"

The goddess giggled. "_Puh-lease_, you Winchesters and your pets always cause some sort of mayhem. I'm in-charge of the aftermath…" She grabbed a bottle from the bar and smashed it on the counter, splitting it in two. She sipped from the bottom half.

"I don't know whether to thank or kill you for ending the first apocalypse. I mean, I was planning some **massive** discord when the world ended. One last hurrah. Go out with a bang, you know?" She picked out a piece of glass from her bottle, then chewed it as if it were an olive in a martini. "Then you had to go and be noble. "Team Free Will", bah!" She examined her empty bottle half and went to break another.

"Though, I must admit, I've loved the stuff you gave me to work with afterwards. My sister Harmonia was so delightfully livid! The angel civil war. The leviathans. Ooh! And that angel fall about a year ago! Yes. Dragged on a bit, but I do love confusion and power struggles." She held the upper half of her broken bottle as if it were a wine glass.

"And now it's the end again! I must say, I am a little disappointed. I was hoping for a couple more millennia. For planning. Ah, well…"

"Wait, you WANT the apocalypse?" Sam asked. "Don't you know Lucifer will probably kill you? You won't have anyone to worship you ei-"

Eris suddenly stood up, looking downright murderous. "**WHAT WORSHIPPERS**!?" Her voice boomed, shaking the bar. "**THE DAYS OF WORSHIPING THE GREEK GODS ARE OVER! YOU SAW SOME OF MY FELLOW GODS THE LAST TIME! EXISTING OFF OF HUMAN FLESH**!" She spat on the floor. "And who the hell cares if Lucifer kills me? No matter how the world ends, we die! I'm just trying to enjoy the ride!"

Sam stepped back.

"There's always Discordianism…" Crowley stated.

As quickly as she had snapped, goddess of chaos calmed down. "True. Though I don't take it seriously. Yet I do. Whatever. I just miss seeing the old gang, ya know? Especially the tricksters. Like Anansi." She then sighed dreamily. "Or _Loki_…"

"Uh, He's not…"

"Now's not the time, Moose…" Crowley said, giving Sam a warning look. He pulled him down to his level and whispered. "She's a bit unstable."

Eris smirked. "And what would ol' Lucy think, you and his true vessel being friends with benefits?"

"What brings you here, anyway, Eris?" Crowley said, turning his attention back to the goddess.

She giggled. "Nothing! I just wanted to distract you from finding out how to beat Lucifer. You're starting to get organized, and I don't like it." She strummed her fingers on her chin. "Or am I trying to push you in the right direction, like my lovely Loki always did? I don't know, I'm just so swept up in the _madness_ of it all!"

Sam didn't have time for this. "We're doing fine, thanks…" He loaded the gun, his finger curling around the trigger. Crowley motioned for Sam to stop. Sam ignored him.

Eris glared up at Sam. "Big mistake." She flicked her wrist, sending the angel gun flying across the bar. The goddess then pinned Sam to the counter. "Sorry, Crowls, I'm going to have to discipline your pet…" She gripped Sam's wrist. Sam howled in pain.

Eris removed her hand from his wrist. A Greek word, "καλλίστῃ", was engraved in gold on his flesh. She smirked. "And it solves my little distraction problem…" She turned to Crowley. "Lovely to see you again, Crowls. We really need to meet up more often."

"Hopefully under better circumstances…"

Eris winked and popped out of the room. As Crowley collected his gun, Sam got up, clutching his wrist. "Son of a…!"

Crowley grabbed his wrist. "Let me see that!" He read the golden words, then swore. "This is not good…"

"I kinda figured that! What did she do?"

"Are you familiar with the Golden Apple of Discord?"

"…Not really. Why?"

"Long story short, Eris got snubbed at wedding, caused all sorts of chaos because of the apple."

The patrons started getting up. They all looked at Sam.

"…How bad did it get?" Sam asked.

"It had some ramifications. Ever heard of the Trojan War, Moose?"

The patrons started fighting again and lunging at Sam. They were screaming things like: "He's mine!" "No, mine!" "I'm prettiest!" "No, I am!" "It's me!" "Precious!"

Sam grabbed Crowley and fled the bar. He went for the Impala. "We need to get this thing off of me!" Sam shouted.

Crowley removed his tie and tied it around Sam's wrist. "Maybe that will help."

The two tried to get back to the motel, but Sam's presence continued causing a stir wherever they went. People on the streets started turning their heads towards Sam. Others started dueling in the streets. One person even lunged at the hood of the car. "This is not good…" Crowley repeated, flicking the nuisance away with his telekinesis. "Only a matter of time until something bigger and more powerful gets more swept up in this."

Sam sighed. "This affects more than humans?"

"First apple had three very jealous goddesses fighting over the bloody thing."

"Then why aren't you going crazy, too?"

Crowley was silent a moment. "I already got you…" He eventually responded.

They got to the motel. Before they exited the car, Crowley grabbed his coat and threw it over Sam's head. He helped guide Sam to his room.

"Now, be a good boy and sit tight. I think I got something to fix this…" Crowley said, popping out of the room.

Sam rolled his eyes. He couldn't believe he was doing this again. He grabbed his laptop and started searching for his own answers. The hunter looked up more on Eris. Suddenly, he heard a voice.

"Sam Winchester."

Sam slammed his laptop shut and sprung off the bed. Standing in front of him was a woman who was the exact opposite of Eris. She had smooth dark hair, dressed like a businesswoman, and seemed much more reserved.

"I am Harmonia, Eris's sister. I believe she has been screwing with you…"

Sam nodded, holding his wrist out. She read the words.

Harmonia rolled her eyes. "Not again…"

The goddess held out her palm and sighed. "Kneel down…"

Sam was suspicious. "Are you going to fix me?"

The goddess nodded. She pulled out a knife. "Yes."

Sam raised an eyebrow, already trying to think of a plan. "How?"

"The only way I can. I am going to kill you." She said bluntly.

~0~

A/N: Yeah, this chapter has taken so long to do. And I'm splitting it into two parts. I've had Writer's Block. But, I think I've got stuff together. And I swear the plot's moving along and we'll see Deanifer again soon. You see, one of my goals with "Here We Are Again" (besides letting Sam be the one to save Dean for once, subverting the show's annoying tendency of making Sam essentially the damsel Dean has to save from whatever's wrong with him) is to try to write a better season than season 9. I've found this season disappointing. Consider this and the next chapter one of the odd episodes.

Sorry, I just felt like sharing that.

(Also, Discordianism is totally a real thing. Look it up!)

(And I had mobster shifters before it was canon! :P Oracle powers strike again!)

Carry on, my Wayward Companions! -CH


	14. Chapter 13 Hunter Discordia Part 2

Chapter 13: Hunter Discordia Part II Or; How The West Was Lost

"You want to kill me?" Sam said. He started to pray for Cas, but he didn't know how a regular angel would fair against a god. Hell, he didn't even know how a demon like Crowley would fair. But he knew someone who had the juice for it.

"Yes. Before you cause anymore trouble." Harmonia stated. "Honestly, you cause enough _without_ Eris's help…"

"But the apocalypse…" Sam said, stalling for time.

"It will resolve itself. Especially with you out of the way…"

"Me?"

"Yes. For years, you have been a catalyst for chaos. Perhaps things will die down without you…"

"_Come on. Where are you_?" Sam thought. "_You lazy son of a-_"

"HARMONIA!" Gabriel said as he appeared. Sam had never been more relieved to see the archangel in his life.

"Sorry I'm late, Sammy. The demands of looking after the prophet…" He turned his attention back to Harmonia.

"_Loki_. Or should I call you "Gabriel"? So the rumors were true. My sister will be ecstatic…"

Gabriel groaned. "Ugh. _Eris_. You help a girl start _one_ Russian Revolution, and suddenly she thinks you're the next pagan power couple." He pinched the bridge if his nose.

"_Please_, you didn't grow up with her…"

Sam cleared his throat. Gabriel shook his head and focused back on the task at hand. "Now, why're you messing with my boy, Harmo?"

"You know I detest that nickname. And I'm simply killing the problem before it gets out of hand."

Gabriel looked at Sam, then back at Harmonia. "What problem? I mean, yeah, he's helped cause the apocalypse twice, but he means well!"

"You don't feel it?"

"Feel what? I don't feel anything different."

"That… That… _**Mess**_! He's an Apple of Discord! Even _I_ feel its effects!" Harmonia barked, a hair falling out of place. She growled and tucked it back into place.

"Oh yeah, that. Well, I got this. Don't you worry your little head. Wouldn't want that stick up your ass to impale anything important."

She rolled her eyes. "I hate you angels. Always so arrogant. Fine. You fix him. But if you can't, I get to kill him."

"Fair enough…" Gabriel said. He waved goodbye to the goddess. Harmonia rolled her eyes and made her exit. Gabriel turned his attention back to Sam and looked at the mark. "Well, aren't _we_ popular today?"

Sam gave Gabriel one of his patented bitchfaces in response. Gabriel shook his head and chuckled. "I should be able to zap it off. Then I need you to-"

Crowley appeared in the room again, holding ingredients for a spell in his arms. "I think I've got just the thing to fix you, Moose. Luckily for you, Memphis hasn't…" He then noticed Gabriel, and frowned. "Hello…"

""Moose"? You call him "Moose"? I'll have to remember that…" Gabriel said with a smirk.

Crowley glared. "I'm the only one who can call him that." He turned back to Sam. "Now, let's get that off you before we have a mob in here. The last thing we need is more people fighting over you, trying to overcompensate…"

"Says the demon who sold his soul to get a bigger dick." Sam retorted.

Gabriel laughed. "Gold. Pure gold." He tugged Sam towards him. "I got this, Crowley. Don't you worry your damned little head…" His eyes briefly shimmered gold.

Crowley set his tools down and tugged Sam, his eyes shimmering gold as well. "No. I was here first. I had it handled…"

"Aaaand he nearly got killed by the Goddess of Harmony. Great job there, "King of Hell"…"

"I _am_ the King of Hell, "Trickster"…"

"Are you? Your loyal subjects sure like to abandon you…"

Crowley growled and lunged at Gabriel. Gabriel dodged and tried to stab the demon in the back. Crowley ducked and grabbed Gabriel's leg, pulling him to the ground. He wrestled the blade out of Gabriel's hands and threw it into the wall. The two entities soon devolved into a fistfight.

Sam simply sighed. He didn't have time for this. Especially not with his life on the line. He pulled the blade from the wall, sat on the floor, and started preparing the spell. Luckily for the younger Winchester, Crowley had brought a paper with the spell on it.

Speaking of the demon, he was currently straddling and strangling Gabriel. "You don't deserve Sam! He's mine! You left, remember?"

"Please! Me and Sam have history! And he doesn't want me dead!" Gabriel choked out. He flipped the two of them over, pinning Crowley down.

Sam rolled his eyes. "Could you two keep it down? I'm trying to concentrate!"

"Sorry, Moose…"

Gabriel scoffed. "You're such a sub-"

Crowley shoved Gabriel into a wall in response.

Sam was reading over the incantation. "Hey, Crowley, I can't make this word out. Is it "_orbo ad caio_"?"

""_ORDO AB CHAO_"!" Crowley shouted, trying to break free from Gabriel's sleeper hold.

Sam nodded. "_Of course_" he thought, inspecting the note again. While he could admit the demon had his good traits (albeit begrudgingly), legible handwriting was not one of them. The hunter started chanting the spell, slicing into his marked arm over the bowl. The blood dripped into it.

Suddenly, Sam threw his head back and screamed. He started writhing in pain. Gabriel and Crowley snapped their attention back to the human. "SAM!" They shouted in unison. The two helped hold him straight. He gritted his teeth and continued his spell.

The contents of the bowl exploded. A faint scent of baked apples wafted from the remains. Eris's Mark faded from his skin. Crowley and Gabriel were freed of its influence. Gabriel healed the cut. "You alright, Moose?" Crowley asked.

Sam nodded. "Yeah," he said, breathlessly. "No thanks to you two…"

"Yeah, uh, sorry about that…" Gabriel said.

~0~

"I have a theory as to why we lost it…" Crowley said as Sam packed the last of his things.

"Yeah?"

"The Mark didn't affect me or Gabriel when it was just one of us with you…"

"Right."

"But it _did_ affect us when we were both with you…"

"And?"

"Well, it seems like the Mark didn't affect anyone who was "in possession" of you. But since both of us were there…"

"You were prepared to have a battle royale over me." Sam sighed. "I'm just glad it's over. Could you imagine if Cas were here?"

"Where is my dorky little brother, anyway?" Gabriel asked, sprawled out on the spare bed.

"Business." Sam said bluntly.

"And what're you still doing here, then?" Crowley asked Gabriel.

"Oh, I almost forgot! Sam, Sybil had some visions. Right ones. I need you to come down to our current hideout."

"Why?" Sam asked. "Is it about Lucifer?"

"No. It's about your brother."

"Dean?" Sam said, a flicker of hope in his voice.

"No. The _other_ one…"


	15. Chapter 14: Drink With The Devil

[A/N WARNING: Violence. (It might not be as bad as I feel, but I ain't risking it!) Be advised.]

~0~

"Anything on Lucifer?" Castiel asked Bela. The demon shook her head.

"Not a word. I'm pretty low on the food chain, though. I doubt they'll ever tell me anything." She replied. "But I think everyone's wondering. Even Memphis."

Cas shook "We need to try something new. It's been months down here."

"I know that!" She snapped. She then shook her head. "Sorry. It's just… stressful."

"I know." He put his hand on her shoulder.

"I should just spy on them. Memphis is having a meeting with him right now." Bela stated.

"Bela, no. It's dangerous. If anything, let me…"

"And have you die instead? No thank you. I'd rather not have Sam kill me for it. If I'm going to die, it'll be on my terms. Besides… You're too decent."

Castiel pulled her into a hug. Bela hugged back. When Cas let her go, she stepped back. She was holding Cas's Angel Blade.

"Sorry about this. Insurance." She said, and teleported away from Cas.

"BELA!"

~0~

Lucifer spun around in front of the mirror. He stood in the disheveled mess that had once been Crowley's office. "You know, we look pretty good in white…" He said, admiring his new suit. Dean didn't respond. Lucifer tsked. "Aw, now you won't talk to me? Was it something I said?"

Dean made a harsh, choked noise.

Lucifer smacked his forehead. "Riiiight. I ripped your "tongue" out. Now it's too quiet."

Lucifer walked up to Dean. He shoved his fingers down his throat and touched the remains of Dean's tongue. As it grew back, the archangel removed his hand. "Now have we learned our lesson?"

Dean glared back at him, pissed. He wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of a response. Lucifer rolled his eyes. "You're no fun anymore…"

"Lucifer?" A voice twanged.

"One minute. We have company…" Lucifer said, turning his attention back to the world around him.

Before them stood a young-vesseled Crossroads Demon. He wore a tan suit with a bolo tie, with a white cowboy hat. His meat suit's hair was blond and his eyes were the color of whiskey. At least, that's how he would look to the average human. To Dean, he saw his true, grotesque form.

Lucifer, however, tried his best not to roll his eyes at the demon. He made it far too obvious he sold his soul back in the Old West. But he was a good salesman. Snake oil salesman, but a salesman.

"Lucifer, ah've almost finished destroyin' Crowley's resources. But the yeller-bellied weasel won't show up again."

"And Castiel?"

"We haven't seen 'em."

"Sam?"

"Still runnin' 'round like a chicken without a head."

"And-"

"No word on yer brothers or the prophet."

Lucifer glared at Memphis for speaking out of turn. It was the kind of glare that bore into the demon's twisted soul.

"S-sorry, my lord."

Lucifer smiled at patted his underling's back. "Oh, it's fine, Memphis. I forgive you." He lied. The demon smiled with relief.

"You want a drink?" Lucifer asked, summoning two glasses of scotch.

"Much obliged, sir." The demon replied, sipping from the glass.

"So, my boys and girls want to know what the plan is…" Memphis stated.

"It's none of their business. You know, I know. We're all that needs to know."

"Yeah. But I also have a question. After we've eliminated yer brothers, the traitor, and the prophet, what next? What do we do about that sonuvabitch Sam? And the apocalypse?"

Dean wanted to stab Memphis. Lucifer tutted at him. "Later."

"We just keep distracting Sam. Then we make our move for Heaven…"

"And what about them Horsemen? Three are dead, and we can't capture Death…"

"Keep trying…" Lucifer growled. "And as for the others, I'm working on getting their replacements. I'm already in talks with Conquest and Pollution…"

"But…"

"WHY DO YOU CONTINUE TO QUESTION ME!?" Lucifer shouted, his voice brimming with authority. "I'm the father of your breed. I can destroy you with a thought!" Memphis quivered.

There was a noise outside the room. Lucifer looked up.

"Sounds like we've got a spy…"

~0~

Bela tried to teleport, but found herself unable to. She had to run. Lucifer and Memphis pursued. Bela slashed at Memphis, cutting his torso. "Ya bitch!" He cried. She kept running, turning down corridor after corridor. She needed to get to Cas to tell him they needed to go. She was almost home free, the door was right there!

Suddenly, she was frozen in place. Lucifer appeared behind her.

"Leaving so soon?"

~0~

Lucifer threw her on a table. A Devil's Trap had been hastily carved onto its surface. He loomed over her with a knife. Dean looked at the demon's face, her true face, and gasped.

It was horrifically mutilated. It was as if someone had peeled her human face off and stretched it as far as they could across a lizard's skull. Her eyes were sunken. He'd have even said soulless, had it not been for the way they were pleading to him.

"Bela?"

"Bringing back memories for you, Dean-O?" Lucifer quipped.

~0~

Sadly, it did. He had flashbacks to The Rack. The sounds of millions of souls, screaming out in agony as they were mutilated. The horrid smell of god-knows-what that hung thick in the air. He remembered the day he broke; both his spirit and the first seal. Alistair smugly smiling at him. God, it had taken him all his remaining will not to gut the son of a bitch. He motioned towards the person hanging beside him.

Bela.

She had tears in her eyes. She was already beaten and bloody. The torture already taking its toll. Alistair handed Dean a knife. Dean approached her.

Her eyes widened in fear. "NO, PLEASE!" She cried, as Dean stabbed her in the shoulder.

~0~

"No… Please…" she said, Lucifer's knife embedded in her shoulder. He twisted the blade. She hissed.

"I won't kill you. Yet." He pulled out the knife started sliced it across her torso. "I'm just killing two birds with one stone. Dean needs a little reminder of who's in charge. Constantly. And you need to be punished. Besides, you'll make a great stress-reliever. Like one of those you squeeze…" he stabbed her again. "…until their eyes pop out!"

"Lucifer, stop!" Dean shouted. The archangel continued to recreate Dean's torture of Bela.

"I won't stop. I'll never stop. Not until you're broken…" Lucifer replied, scanning the room for other instruments of torture.

~0~

Castiel smited his way through legions of demons to find Bela and Lucifer. He finally found the two. His heart sunk, seeing Dean's body used in this manner. And to see Bela being brutalized like this. As soon as Lucifer went to find something else to torture with, he used his telekinesis to crack the table, breaking the trap.

~0~

Bela felt the wounds. She knew she wouldn't die of her wounds, but the pain was going to remain. Lucifer was punishing her, after all. But she wouldn't cry. As soon as Lucifer stabbed her, Bela swore she wouldn't give him the satisfaction. She felt the table crack. Her eyes darted to Castiel. He nodded.

Bela took what little strength she had and teleported to Cas. She stumbled a little, blood oozing out her wounds. She stumbled over to him, her breath ragged. She turned to see Lucifer. He looked at the table and swore. As soon as Lucifer looked over at her, Cas teleported them away.

~0~

Lucifer's rage turned to amusement. "Cas's always popular with the lady demons. Isn't he, Dean?"

Dean didn't answer.

Lucifer ignored this. "Yeah. But this could work to our favor. Clearly Bela's in-league with your brother. How do you think he'll react to seeing her this way? If she can't be an example for you, maybe she'll be a message for Sam. And maybe he'll take the hint and stay out of the way."

Dean wanted to attack him. But he felt something broken inside. Lucifer had reminded him of something. He knew Sam wouldn't stop. He knew Sam would put his own life on the line if it meant he could save everyone. He wouldn't care if he died. Lucifer could torture Dean all he wanted, but knowing Sam would keep going, regardless of everything… And that Lucifer might break his word…

Secretly, he hoped Sam would just be selfish and let the world end.

~0~

A/N: Well, that chapter got violent and a bit depressing. And, spoilers, the depression continues next chapter.

Also, I kinda wanted to take a poll: how would you guys feel if I did side fics for this verse? Tie-ins about the other characters: Gabriel and Sybil, Cas and Bela's time in Hell, etc? Lemme know in the reviews.

Carry on, my Wayward Companions! -CH


	16. Chapter 15: Fallen Brother

Gabriel transported Crowley and Sam to his and Sybil's new hideout. It looked almost exactly the same as the last one, except for the wallpaper. An iPod sat on an end table, playing "Ziggy Stardust" on a loop. ("Helps her think." Gabriel had explained earlier.) Sybil sat on the futon, grinning. "Sam!" She exclaimed. She sprung up and threw her arms around his waist, hugging him.

"Hey, Sybil." Sam replied. "You look better than you did last time we saw you…" Indeed, the prophet looked a lot less gaunt then she had before. Though still a bit ragged. Like she didn't sleep well, if at all.

"Thanks," she said, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. She looked over at Crowley. "Whaddup, your majesty?"

"Oh, you know, lost both my thrones, was nearly killed by a hick, and fought an archangel over Moose…"

Gabriel nodded, confirming the last bit.

"Wow. Sucks." She looked around. "Where's Constantine angel?"

"Cas? Hell. He's keeping an eye on someone." Sam replied. There was a brief silence after that.

"They're here about Adam?" Sybil asked, no snark in her voice for once.

Gabriel nodded. "I was going to take Sam to see him. You and Crowley can stay h-"

"Can I take Sam instead? I know exactly where he is! Plus, do you really wanna leave me alone with the ex-King of Hell? That didn't work out too well for the last guy!" She looked over at Crowley. No offense…"

Crowley shrugged. Gabriel shook his head. "Sybil, no. It's dangerous, you going out in the open. If Lucifer or one of his demons found you…"

"I'm getting stir-crazy! And I'll be with Sam. So long as I don't bang him, I'll be fine!"

"Sybil…"

"Gabriel, please! I'm much more stable! Just have a little faith in me!" She pleaded.

"AGNES!"

She glared at him. "I told you not to call me that!"

Sam knew this conversation too well. "Gabriel. She'll be fine. I'll protect her with my life."

Gabriel sighed. He rubbed his temples. "Fine. But no detours. As soon as something comes up…"

"I'll pray to my friendly neighborhood trickster…" She said. She went over to the archangel and hugged him goodbye. "I'll be fine, Gabe." She added.

He squeezed her. "I know."

She went back to Sam, linking arms with him. "C'mon, Sammy boy. Let's hit the town."

"Tomorrow." Sam said. "It's been a long day."

Sybil nodded. "We have a spare room this time. Got it just in case." She pointed down the hall. Sam made his way down the hall.

"Thanks."

Gabriel spoke up. "Sam."

"Yeah?"

"Tomorrow, when you go out to see Adam? Don't die on me."

"Or me." Crowley added.

"I won't."

~0~

The next morning, Sam and Sybil made their way to a hospital. Sam learned they were in Baltimore. They got up to the front desk. "Hello, we're here to see that John Doe you have. The blond one." Sybil stated.

"Names?"

"Jon Snow."

"Wanda Maximoff."

The nurse nodded. "Fourth Floor. Room 406."

The two went for the elevator.

"Jon Snow? Seriously?" Sybil scoffed.

"Says the girl who referenced The Scarlet Witch…" Sam replied, pushing the up button.

"Hey! It's not like the movie's out yet. Casuals may not get it, Agent Banner."

Sam rolled his eyes and got in the elevator. "That was Dean's idea."

Sybil hurried after him. "Nerds. Both of you."

~0~

They made their way to the hospital room. Both had been quiet the rest the rest of the way there. Sam opened the door. There, lying in the hospital bed, was the comatose body of Adam Milligan.

Sam's step-brother was only a few years older than he'd been when they had met. But he looked older. His time in The Cage had aged him greatly. He looked shattered. The doctors had hooked him up to so many monitors and medications. It was almost difficult to see where they ended and Adam began.

Sam just stared at him.

"I know he was only your half-brother, but…"

"He didn't deserve this." Sam said. "Any of this."

"Correct." A voice said. Sam looked around. Sybil looked at him quizzically. Sam shook it off.

"Sam. It's Michael." The voice said.

"Michael?" Sam thought. Gabriel was right. The former head Archangel was on Earth, too.

"Yes. You see what became of your half-brother?"

"Yeah…" Sam replied in his mind.

"It is mostly my fault. You remember The Cage? The atrocious things we did to you and Adam? They only got worse once you left. As soon as The Cage opened, we escaped as well. I left his body here, though further damaged it in the process. It is… A drawback to being an archangel, especially one without his true vessel… But it was the kindest thing I could do for him."

Sam looked down at Adam again. He suddenly pictured Dean in that same situation. Would such a fate befall his brother? If Michael did this to be "kind", what could Lucifer do out of spite?

Sam shuddered to think of it.

"I have been watching over Adam. And rethinking my actions… I am sorry."

Sam didn't know how to respond.

"Sam, I have a proposition. Lucifer must be stopped. I know you want to spare your brother an awful fate, but I see only one solution…"

"That's one more solution than I have. Tell me."

"Let me in, Sam. We will end Lucifer, and the world. You and Dean will not suffer. It will be quick and painless. I will die as well…"

Sam blinked. For a moment, it seemed tempting. But it went against everything he had fought for, all those years ago. He wanted his brother to have a choice in his fate. Not to be forced into anything. Nor did he want people making decisions for him /again/. There had to be another way.

"Sorry, Michael. I can't do that."

"Sam…"

"I said "no"."

"SAM!" The room rumbled.

"Sybil," Sam said, turning to the prophet. "Let's get out of here. I've seen and heard enough."

Sybil nodded, a bit perplexed. They exited the room.

Sam could still hear the archangel's screams in the back of his mind.

~0~

When the two returned to the loft, Crowley and Gabriel were debating nonsense as "Ziggy Stardust" continued to play.

…Ziggy sucked up into his miiind!

Like a leper messiah!

When the kids had killed the man

I had to break up the band!

Sybil shut it off. "Battery power."

Sam sighed. Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "That bad, huh?"

Sam shook his head. He relayed his encounter with Michael to his companions.

"Damn." Was Crowley's reply.

"I don't know what to tell you, Sam." Gabriel added. "If this were a couple years ago, I'd say "play your role." But I know you're too stubborn to…"

"There's got to be another way." Sam said bluntly.

Sybil smiled. "There's the Sam we all think about on a lonely night."

"So, O fearless leader, what's the next move?" Crowley asked.

That's when Cas appeared in the room. He was supporting a bloodied woman over his shoulder.

"SAM!"

~0~

Well. This has been a long time coming. I'll tell you this (as well as the "Blood Trilogy" fans on "Into The Light.") I've been distracted, had writer's block, and a lot of stuff lately. I got a job and school. I may not update all that frequently as I used to. I know this has been a long hiatus. Be patient. I'll finish my projects, relax. I'm not dead.

Carry on my Wayward Companions. -CH


	17. Chapter 16: The Woman

"CAS! BELA!" Sam ran over to them.

Bela looked up at him. "Sam. What's it been? A year?"

"Barely a day."

"She's been tortured by Lucifer. Badly."

Bela sighed. "I can't heal myself. Lucifer… did something to me…" She grunted and clutched her shoulder, swaying forward. Castiel caught her, causing her to cry out. "I've got information, though."

Bela leaned on Cas. "Lucifer wants to kill the remaining angels on Earth," she looked to Cas, Gabriel, and for some reason the door. Cas, Gabriel, Sybil, and Crowley also glanced over to the door. She then turned her attention to Crowley. "And his highness, here." She said bitterly.

("Surprise, surprise." Crowley mumbled.)

"And finally, he wants to eliminate the prophet." She looked over at Sybil, then the group. It was as if she was asking, "This is the one?" Sam nodded.

"He wants to take on Heaven and start the apocalypse again. He's already looking-guh!-for new Horsemen!"

Sam nodded. He'd figured as much.

"Hold on. I didn't hear Sam's name on The Devil's hit list…" Crowley commented.

"He doesn't want Sam dead…" Bela grunted. "Just wants him distracted long enough."

Sam was about to ask why, when Bela cried out in pain again.

"You did good, Bela. When you're up for we can cu-"

She shook her head. "Just kill me."

Cas looked surprised. "Bela!"

"You told me what the cure does, Castiel. I'd rather be dead than deal with all that guilt. Plus, cured or not, all of Hell's going to be after me."

Sam frowned. She had a good point. Still, it felt wrong to just kill her. He hesitated.

Cas, however, had no hesitations. "Goodbye, Bela." He stabbed her in the stomach with his angel blade. There was a yellowish light. The angel could've sworn he heard her whisper "thank you." He then gently set the body on the floor.

Suddenly, the door swung open. There stood Rachel Salt, seething. "How DARE you. HOW DARE YOU TAKE MY REVENGE FROM ME!"

The woman sprinted in, taking great care to step on Bela's body, and seized Sybil. "Lucifer wants her, right? Well, how about I just take her to him, instead? Take away something important of yours?"

Gabriel lunged at her. Rachel put a gun to Sybil's head. "Ah, ah, ah. I could also just shoot her."

"You're bluffing…" Gabriel stated.

"You're seriously going to condemn the world just for some stupid, petty revenge?" Sam asked.

"This woman is crazy…" Crowley stated.

"MY REVENGE ISN'T STUPID!" Rachel shouted. Sybil slipped from the hunter's grip and grabbed her gun. The prophet pressed it to her temple and released the safety.

"You aren't going to get me!" Sybil cried.

Gabriel's eyes widened. "Sybil, no!"

"I'm a freaking useless prophet anyway! I can't… Can't live like this. I'm sorry. Maybe the next prophet will be better equi-" The prophet's eyes suddenly went blue. She howled, dropped the gun and collapsed. Gabriel quickly went to her side and held her.

"GET THAT BITCH OUT OF HERE!" Gabriel commanded. Sam nodded and pulled a gun on Rachel. Cas and Crowley also pointed weapons at her.

"Get the hell out."

Rachel glared, grabbed the gun, shot Sam in the shoulder, and rushed at them. Crowley flung her out the door with a wave of his hand. Cas slammed the door shut and locked it. Cas then healed Sam's wound. Then they went to Sybil's side.

The prophet was drawing out something in a trance. She was babbling something in multiple tongues. It sounded like a list.

"'Metal, forged for the highest of the holy, metal, made by the damned to slay the damned, and an enchantment of the old gods.'" Crowley translated.

"'Together, these shall be The Archangel's undoing.'" Cas added.

Once she drew it out, she wrote on it in the tablet symbols. Suddenly, she was out of her trance and slumped against Gabriel, exhausted.

Gabriel looked at the paper, then handed it to Sam. Sam blinked. There was little mistaking what the drawing was.

"It's a bullet…"

Outside, Rachel kicked at the door. Suddenly, she heard a voice in her head.

"…Yes."


End file.
